Season 22 Bachelor Arie Luyendyk Jr.: 7 Things To Know

Former Bachelorette contestant Arie Luyendyk Jr. is going to be the next Bachelor! Many people were not expecting this because producers did such a great job of throwing people off. While many people might not remember him since it’s been a good five years since he was on the show, we’ve collected 7 things everyone needs to know about the next Bachelor:

7. He Was the Runner Up on Emily Maynard’s Season

Arie rose to fame when he was on Emily Maynard’s season of The Bachelorette back in 2012. That season, Maynard chose Jef Holm over Arie, which left him heartbroken. At the time, he believed that Emily was the love of his life, and Holm was his best friend.

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6. He Was Born in The Netherlands

He was born in s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, but moved to the United States when he was two. He can speak Dutch, which viewers saw when he was on Emily’s season of The Bachelorette. He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.

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5. He’s a Race Car Driver

He’s race car driver, just like his dad! His father, Arie Luyendyk, is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner. Luyendyk Jr. competes in the Indy Light Series where he’s finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the Championship He was also a test-driver in A1 Grand Prix for A1 Team The Netherlands during the 2007–08 season, and he’s competed in 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Dayton.

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4. He Was Supposed To Be The Bachelor Instead of Chris Soules’

Before Chris Soules was cast as the Bachelor for season 19, the race car driver was in talks to take on the role, but producers pulled the rug out from underneath him at the last moment. He revealed this after Luke Pell came out and said that producers had led him to believe that he was going to be the next Bachelor only to drop him for Nick Viall. “I mean, [my situation was] almost word for word on that article,” he told Us Weekly. “Same exact deal. I just knew two days prior, but same deal: suit fittings; contracts that I signed, but they were delayed on signings on their end; booked flights. Maybe this is a common practice now to throw off fans –  I don’t know.” Sounds like it is!

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3. He Hooked Up with Courtney Robertson

The former Bachelorette contestant had a thing with The Bachelor’s season 16 winner Courtney Robinson. After her breakup with Ben Flajnik, they were spotted having dinner together and sharing a kiss in October 2012. In 2016, Robertson told Us Weekly that she and Luyendyk still like to make out from time to time! “I adore Arie. He’s a great friend who I like to make out with from time to time!” she said. He also had nothing but nice things to say about her. “I just feel like she always gets such a bad rap,” he told Us. “She’s really just such a sweet, kind, funny person. She’s really witty, and I think a lot of people just don’t get her humor – she likes to stir the pot a little, and there’s nothing wrong with that!”

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2. His Previous Relationship

In 2015, Luyendyk revealed that he was in a relationship with a woman named Jenna Jones. “We actually met at the racetrack, just because that’s basically where I live,” he told Pop Sugar. “She was in PR for another driver. We met and kept in touch. She actually works in sports radio and lives in Phoenix. So, yeah, we just hit it off, and now we live together, so there’s that!” It’s unclear when the two broke up.

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1. He Constantly Travels

He is constantly traveling because of work. “I’m in a different city almost every week, so if I do have a girlfriend, it’s hard to keep a girlfriend because I need someone who has a flexible schedule. And if I am on the road, I just don’t want to meet somebody on the road,” he said. “[I travel] probably 250 days a year. [I like to travel]. I don’t like to be in one place for very long.”